DCPS Sick Student Policy
Under no circumstances can a parent/guardian bring or send a sick student to school if the student shows any signs of illness (symptoms requiring removal of student from school) or is unable to participate in the normal routine and regular school day. In the event a student becomes ill and needs to be picked up, a parent/guardian will be called and that parent/guardian is expected to pick the student up within one hour (60 minutes). If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, or has not arrived within an hour, emergency contacts listed on the Emergency Contact Information, Authorization for Release of Student from School and Consent to Receive School Health Services form will be called to pick up that student. The parent/guardian should be provided with a completed Observation of Symptoms form.
Symptoms Requiring Removal of Student from School:
Fever: Fever is defined as having a temperature of 100.4°F or higher. A student needs to be fever free without the aid of any fever reducing medication (Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc.), for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school.
Diarrhea: Diarrhea is described as 2 or more stools within a 4-hour period that are either loose, runny, watery, and/or bloody, or if stool cannot be contained in the diaper/undergarment. A student needs to stay home from school until the diarrhea has stopped, without the aid of anti-diarrheal medication, for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school.
Actively vomiting. Student may return to school the next day if vomiting has resolved.
Breathing trouble, hacking, or persistent and continuous coughing.
Frequent scratching of body or scalp, live lice, undiagnosed rash, or skin condition that resemble childhood diseases.
Student is irritable, in pain, continuously crying, or requires more attention than school staff can provide while ensuring the health, safety, or well-being of the other students.
Open wounds that cannot be covered and/or drainage that cannot be contained with a bandage.
Students returning to school from an absence are required to present a written explanatory excuse from their parent or legal guardian stating the cause for the absence.
A note from the student’s health care provider is needed when:
The student has been absent for 3 or more consecutive days
The student has had surgery
The student is returning to school after hospitalization
The student has been under the doctor’s care for a significant illness, or
The student is returning to school after being excluded because of a communicable disease, as outlined in Section E – Communicable Disease.
The school clinic is limited in the amount of first-aid treatment that can be given and is prohibited from giving any internal medicine (including aspirin). It is important that we have an emergency phone number for every student. Please instruct your child to report any injury to his/her teacher as soon as possible.
Medicine at School
In the event that any child is to take prescribed medicine during the day, please refer to the school medication policy.
Diseases
If your child has one of the listed communicable diseases, he/she must remain at home until after treatment from your doctor or clinic and a release is given: Chicken Pox, Hepatitis, Measles, Mumps, Pinkeye, Ringworm of the scalp or skin, Rubella, Scarlet Fever and Whooping Cough.
Head Lice
Any child with head lice or nits may not attend school. No Nit Policy.
Immunization
Florida law [Florida Statutes 232.032(8) (1)] requires that all students show proof of immunization before admission to school. Any students who fail to show proof of immunization will be excluded from school until such proof or exemption is presented to the school.